South Africa: Medical tourism profile

Overview

Inbound medical tourism 2019	300,000
Inbound medical tourism 2020	Login to view
Inbound medical tourism 2021	Login to view
Inbound health and wellness	Login to view
Outbound medical tourism	Login to view
Tourists 2019	10.2 million
Tourists 2020	Login to view
Tourists 2021	Login to view
Population 2021	60.1 million
Diaspora	Login to view

South Africa’s private health sector is excellent with over 200 private hospitals and most cities, towns and villages have clinics. The standard of treatment, facilities and professionals is by far the most highly regarded on the African continent, and in on par with that of Europe. But private healthcare in South Africa comes at a very high price.

Overview

Inbound

Outbound

Environment

Inbound

Medical tourism numbers in

300,000 to 350,000 a year is the best guess but figures are difficult as the main business is not the high profile surgery aimed at wealthy Europeans, but basic surgery for poor Africans.

Outbound

Medical tourism numbers out

A few thousand.

Medical tourism promotion

The government is struggling to bring in universal health care so sees promoting a medical tourism industry that it views as cosmetic surgery and high-end elective procedures for better off foreigners- not just a distraction but counter-productive.